Pin resetting apparatus



Oct. 6,- 1931. F. D. TALBERT PIN RESETTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 6, 1931. F, D. TALBERT 1,826,154

PIN RESETTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lavez-N502.

Oct. 6, 1931. F D TALBERT 1,826,154

PIN RESETTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1930 s sheets-sheet 5 y 1 4.04, Mm m N the gpme of bowlinexcept t Patented 6, 1931 UNITED STATES rmx n. runner, or Los manana aanname rn: nrsnrrnre Arrm'rus Application med october is, 1930. Aseran no. 489,514.

This invention relates to an improvement in a cue lpin game and the principal object is to provi e a ten pin resetting apparatus for the game that is semi-automatic in its action of resettin the ten pins after they have been displaced y a ball driven by a cue over the ball course. A vIn other words the ame is pla ed by 'arranging a ball at the orward en 'of a ball course and .then drivin it with considerable force toward ten pins t at are pivotally slspended above the course adjacent its rear end, which when struck releases latches that permit the ten pins to move to elevated positions, and an object in playing the game is to strike and release as many pins as possible with one ball. The game can be played exactly like at in this game the all is driven y a cue, preferably an ordinary'billiard cue. i

The principal object of the invention is to provide a in resetting apparatus that is semi-autornat1c in its action of resetting the pins so they can be struck by a b all. To that end Iprovide means actuated by a motor for moving the pins back into a set position. Y

This means includes a switch in circuit with the motor that is closed by means actuated by the pins when struck by a ballso as to release the latches that hold the pin supporting levers in horizontal position7 which levers when released fall on the trigger bar and close the switch so that the motor will start to reset the ins when an operator at the forward end ci) the table actuates a' push button switch' for that purpose; and also connected to the in resetting apparatus is an arm on a crar shaft which at a predeter-A mined time or just after the pins have been reset opens said switch to stop the motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pin resetting apparatus that is easy to construct, assemble and operate and which resets the ten pins with great speed so that little or no time is lost in playing thegame as the pins are reset almost instantly with the actuation of the push button switch at the forward end of the ball course.

Features of invention are shown in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts whereby a pin resettin apparatus is provided that in addition to icing semiautomatic in the action of starting the motor,

resetting the pins and then stopping the.

lmotor is kalso durable andeective 1n use.'

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description-andthe appended claims. Y

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, in wh1ch: Figure. 1 is a side view of a cue pin table to which theV pin Vresetting'apparatus is connected but not visible from a side elevation, showings portion ofA the side rail broken away to show a'ball arranged on the ball course in position to be struck by a billiard cue. Y Y

Fig. 2 is an enla d fra ental cross section on line 22,' ig. v1, s owing a pin resetting apparatus constructed in accordance with t is invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fra ental section on line 33, Fig. 2, showingt e detailed construction of a knife switch that is arranged to be automatically opened and closed to start and stop the motor. f A

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 'ai-di, Fig. 2, on a 'slightly reduced scale showing the ten pins arranged over-the ball course and also showing a plan view ofthe levers for supporting the pins. y j

Fig. 5 is a, diagrammatic plan view of the cue pin table showing the pin resetting apparatus connectedvto' a motor and electrical means for actuating the motor.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental section on Aline 6 6, F ig. f1, showing the detailed construction'of one of the latches employed for holding the pins on the ball course so they can be struck by a ball.

F ig, Tis a fragmental section on line 7 7, Fig. 6, showingV the pivotal connection ofthe ten pins to their supporting levers.

Fig. 8 is afragmental section on the line 8--8, Fig. 4, with a major portion of the ten pins and levers omitted for the sake of clearness in the drawings and semidiagrammatically illustrating' the pin resetting apparatus.

valso a back stop supported on legs ental section parts sli htly modified as to size and form and also s ow' ing the detailed construction and mounting of the pin resettin bar and associated arts.

The cue pin tab e is provided wit the usual ball course 16 over which a ball 17 can be driven by a billiard cue 18 toward the sus-f pended ten pins 19 at the foot of the course;Y

20, and ball runway 21 that leads back to a ball basket 22 at the forward endof the table. The table preferably is 23 at about the usual height of a billiard table, and also has the usual aide rails 24 to keep the balls on the course.

. All, of the foregoing parts are old and well known in the art and are shown only for illustrating the purposeofvthe pin resetting apparatus.

The rear end ofthe tableis provided with a box frame 25 adjacent the rear end of the course 16 that supports the ten pins 19 and which also dencloses the pin resetting apparatus.

A bearin of the box rod-26 is secured in the sides me and adjacent their top 'ends and front edges on which the blocks have their upper ends pivotally mounted, and extending through-the lower ends of the block 27 and at right angles to the rod 26 are the cylindrical levers 28 that areadjustable through the blocks by means of set screws 29. The levers 28 are s .apart and also spaced away from t e box franse 25 by washers 126, as best indicated in Fig. 4.1A y

Weights 30 are adjustably mounted on the rear ends of the levers 28 to overbalance the ten pins 19 and move them from a set to elevated positions, and these weights are held in adjusted position by means of the set 'screws 31.

The levers 28 are normally held in horizontal position by latches 32. These latches include the slidable members 33 that are slidably mounted in a latch supporting bar 34 extending crosswise in the top of the box frame 25. The members 33 are arranged in recesses 35 in the latch supporting bar 34, and have their beveled ends 36 extended through plates 37 secured to the sides of the latch bar. The ends 36 are held yieldingly extended by springs 38 engaging the latch bar and annular shoulders 39 on the latch members 38, as best shown in Fig. 6. The other members 4() of these latches are slidably extended through the upper ends of the b ock 41 adjustably mounted on the level-S28 by set screws .42.

The members have ends 43 beveledvcpposide view of Y site to the ends 36 of the other members so 'they can easily slide by one another when the pins 19 are being reset, but cannot pass one another when moved in the opposite direction, except when the members 40 are actuated by a means that will now be explained.

The ten pins 19 have rods '44 extending from Atheir upper ends to which ivot balls 45 are secured as b brazing and t ese balls are loosely mounte in the pivot cups 46 at the forward end of the levers 28 so that when the pins are struck by a ball they have practically universal swinging movements so they can hit one another. f l

In other words if a ball is driven over th course so asto strike one of the pins centrally it will drive the pin in a swin arc so as to hit other pins back of it, but if t e pin is hit olf center it will be driven sidewise in one direction or the other.

The rods 44 are extended for some distance above the balls 45 and terminate in eyelets 47 to which one end of a strong strin or cord 48 can be secured; and if desired t e parts 48 can be semiflexible wires.

The other ends of the cords 48 are secured to eyelets 49 in the forward ends of the mem,- bers 40 so that when the cordsare pulled b swinging movement of the pins they wi l move the members 40 against the tension of the light springs 50 to release the latch members 33, 40 from one another, so that the weights 30 can lift the ten pins 19 from the ball course. y

In other words the latches 32 are arranged to hold the levers 28 in horizontal positions so the pins 19 can be struck by a ball driven over the course; and when the pins are struck they release their respective latches 32 by pulls on the cords 48 so that the weights 30 can then move the levers from a horizontal to an inclined position and thereby .lift the pins from the course.

While the idea of lifting the ten pins from a ball course after they have been struck by a ball is relatively old the specific means employed for mounting the ten pins and holding the levers in a horizontal position are thought to be new. v

The means for resettin the pins includes a resetting bar 51 arrange under the rear ends of the levers 28 and crosswise to the table, and secured to the ends of this cross bar are the sleeves 52 that are slidably mounted on the vertical guide rods 53, and preferably this bar carries a shock absorbing plate' 54, as best shown in Fig. 11.

This shock absorbing plate is provided with guide pins 55 that extend downward through holes 56 in the bar 51, and interposed betweenthe `bar and plate and surrounding plate 54.

-gie bar 51 is pivotally connected b links 58 ith crank arms 59 on the crank aft 60 that is mounted in the stands 61 secured to the bottom of the table 15, as best shown in 53 and engage the plate 55 with the undersdes of the inclined levers 28 and move them into horizontal position; and when so moved the latch members 33, will slide by one another and latch so as to hold the levers in 'horizontal positions runtil released again by a driven ball striking the ten pins. y

Also extended crosswise under the levers 28 is a trigger bar 65 having one end pivotally mounted in one end of the box frame 25 and the other'end suspended by a light spring 66, and this bar carries a link 67 that is pivotally connected'to one arm of a bell crank 68 pivotally mounted in the upper end of a post The bell crank 68 has an insulation lblock 70 on its other arm that is adapted to throw the knife 71 of the knife switch 72 into engagement with the spaced spring contacts 73, 7 4 to close the circuit between the motor 64 and a battery 75 when the bell crank is actuated so that the motor will be actuated whenever the push button switch 76 at the front end of the cue pin table is also closed.

The circuit connecting the battery to the motor and switches is diagrammatically 1llustrated in Fig. 5, and as seen therein a wire 77 connects one sideA of the batter with a spring contact 78 that is adapted to manually moved by the push button 79 into engagement with the spring contact 80.

The contact 80 is connected by a wire 81 to the spring contact 7 3 arranged ad]acent the spring contact 74 which latter is connected by a wire 82 with the motor 64 that is also connected by a wire 83 with the other side of the battery 75 so that when both of the switches 72 and 76 are closed the motor 64 will be driven to rotate the crank shaft 60 and through the means heretofore described reset the levers 28 that support the ten pins over the ball course in position to be struck by a ball. The contacts 73, 74 are mounted on the insulating post 100, as best shown in Fig. 3.

When any of the levers 28 falls and strikes the trigger bar 65 the knife 71 is thrown by the bell crank 68 between the spring contacts 73, 74 and is held there until thrown out of engagement with these contacts by a cam arm 84 on the shaft 60. In other words, when the switch 72 is closed the motor 64 will start as soon as the switch 76 at the forward end of the table is also manually closed.

The switch 76 is not closed until a player completes a play which may include one or more shots of the ball 17 at the ten pins. The game is usually played with two balls, one shot to follow the other if the first shot has 'not affected all of the ten pins so as to release their latches 32. In other words a player may shoot the rstpball and strike only a few of the pins, after which he can use'the second ball to strike any of the pins remaining over the course in position to be struck, the object being to strike the pins and release as many of the latchesas possible in a play. l

At the end of each play if av pin has been struck so as to release a' latch the switch 72 will be closed bythe means heretofore described so that as soon as the push button switch 76 at the forward end of the table is closed the motor will start to reset all of the pms that have been struck and moved out of `a set position; andy in resetting these pins the crank shaft 60 makes but one revolution at the end of which thegcam arm 84 engages the knife 71 and moves it out of engagement w1th the contacts 73, 74 to stop the motor. y

In operation the game is played in a manner similar to bowling, except that in this instance the ball or balls are driven over the course with a cue instead of being propelled byhand; and in the play it is possible to strike the forward pin so as to release the latches of all ten of the pins or make a strike;

In other words all of the plays made in bowhng can be made in this cue pin 'gar1rie. It 1s possible to make very high, intermediate or low scores accordingto the skill of the player.

B y means of my pin resetting apparatus I avoidany'arduous labor and save considerable time 1n resetting the pins. Heretofore 1t was necessary to pull a hand lever to reset the pin which, through its distant connection with the pin resetting mechanism required considerable strength to accomplish a resettlng of the pins and also required considerable tune to effectively operate the lever. By my means the pins are reset in less than two seconds after the push button switch is closed and without any labor, which lmakes the game hlghly interesting and pleasant to play and also develops great skill in the players.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pin resetting apparatus including a cross bar arranged under a pivotally mounted lever for moving it from an inclined to a horizontal position to reset a pin over a ball course, a crank shaft arranged under said bar, links pivotally connecting said crank shaft to said cross bar, and an electric motor for rotating said shaft.

2. A pin resetting apparatus including a cross bar arranged under a pivotally mounted lever for moving it from an inclined to a horizontal position to reset a pin over a ball 25 rods a j 5 shaft, and means actuated by said lever and shaft for starting and stopping said motor.

3. A pin resetting apparatus including a cross bar arranged under a pivotally mounted lever for moving it from an inclined to ahorizontal position to reset a pin over a ball course, vertical guide rods adjacent the ends of said cross bar, sleeves secured to the ends of said. cross bar that are slidably mounted p on said rod, a crank shaft arranged under said cross bar, links pivotally connecting said crank shaft-and cross bar, and an electric motor for rotating said crank shaft.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 and means actuated by said lever and shaft for 2 starting and stopping said motor.

5. A pin resetting apparatus including .a cross bar arranged under a lever for moving it from an inclined to a horizontal position to reset a in over a ball course, vertical guide 'scent the ends of said cross rods, sleeves secured to the ends of said cross bar that are slidably mountedl on said rods, a crank shaft, links pivotally connecting said crank shaft and cross bar, an electric motor 39 for rotating said shaft, a switchvin circuit with said motor, a trig er bara-rranged be engaged by said lever or closing said switch to start said motor, and an arm on said crank shaft for opening said switch to stop said motor.

6. A pin resetting apparatus including a I ross bar arranged under a plurality of pivotally mounted levers for moving them from an inclined to a horizontal position to reset their "10 pins over a ball course, vertical guide rods adjacent the ends of said cross bar, sleeves secured to the ends of said cross bar that are slidably mounted on said rods, a crank shaft, links pivotally connecting said crank shaft and cross bar, an electric motor for rotating Said crank shaft, a switch in circuit with said motor, a trigger bar arranged to be engaged by one or more of said levers when they all from a horizontal to an inclined position for closing said switch to start said motor, and

an arm on said shaft for opening said switch to sto said motor.

7. e combination set forth in claim 6 and a battery and a manually operated push button switch at the head of the ball course in circuit with said motor and battery for the purpose specified.

8. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with apivotally mounted lever, a pin 50 pivotally connected to one end of said lever,

'when said pin is struck by a ball so that said lever will move from a horizontal to an inclined position to lift said pin from the ball course, of a resetting bar arranged under said lever, and electrically operated means for actuating said resetting bar to move said lever from an inclined to a horizontal position to reset said pin.

9. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with a pivotally -mounted lever, a.

in pivotally connected-to one end of said ever, a latch for normally holding said lever in a horizontal position so said pin is susended adjacent a ball course in position to be struck by a ball, means whereby said latch is released when said pin is struck by a ball so that said lever will move from a horizontal to an inclined position to'lift said pin from the ball course, of a resetting bar arranged under said lever, guide rods adjacent the ends of said resetting bar, sleeves on the ends of said resetting bar that are slidable on said rods, and electricall operated means for moving said resetting ar to move said lever from an inclined to a horizontal position to reset said pin.

10. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with a pivotally mounted lever, a pin pivotally connected 'to one end of said lever, a latch for normally holding said lever in a horizontal position so said pin is suspended adjacent a ball course in osition to be struck by a ball, means where y said latch is released when said pin is struck by a ball so that said lever will move from a horizontal to an inclined position to lift said pin from the ball'course, of-a resettin bar arranged under said lever, ide rods a jacent the ends of said resetting ar, sleeves on the ends of said resetting bar that are slidably mounted on said rods, a crank shaft, links pivotally connecting said shaft to said resetting bar, and a motor for revolving said shaft to actulate said resetting bar to reset said pin.

11. In a Ipin resetting apparatus the combination wit a pivotally mounted lever, a pin pivotally connected to one end of said lever, a latch for normally holding said lever in a horizontal position so said in is suspended adjacent a ball course in position to be struck by a'ball, means whereby said latch is released when said pin is struck by a ball so that said lever will move from-a horizontal to an inclined position to lift said pin from the ball course, of a resetting bar arranged under said lever, vertical guide rods adjacent the ends of said resetting bar, sleeves secured to the ends of said resetting bar that are slidable on said rods, a crank shaft, links pivotally connecting said shaft to said resetting bar, an electrical motor for actuating said resetting bar, a switch in circuit with' said motor that is normally open, and means whereby said switch is automatically closed when a pin is struck by a ball so as to release its 12. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with levers pivotally mounted above a -ball course and having pins pivotally mounted at their forward ends and latches connected with said. pins arranged to normally hold said levers, in horizontal posi tions so their pins can be struck by a ball passing over said course and weights at the rear ends of said levers for moving them from horizontal to inclined vpositions when said latches are released by said pins when .struck by a ball of a resetting bar arranged under and adjacent the rear ends of said levers, a crank shaft, links connecting said `shaft to said resetting bar, and an electrical motor for actuating said crank shaft.

13. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with levers pivotally mounted above a ball course and having pins pivotally mounted at their forward ends and latches connected with said pins arranged to normally hold said levers in horizontal positions so their pins can be struck by a ball passing over said course, and weights at the rear ends of said levers for moving them from horizontal to inclined positions when said latches are released by said pins when struck by a ball, of a resetting bar arranged under and adjacent the rear ends of said levers. a crank shaft, links connecting said shaft to said resetting bar, and an electrical motor for actuatincf` said crank shaft.

14. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with levers pivotally mounted above a ball course and having pins pivotally mounted at their forward ends and latches connected with said pins arranged to normally hold said levers in horizontal positions so their pins can be struck by a ball passing over said course. and weights at the rear ends of said levers for moving them from horizontal to inclined positions when said latches are released by said pins when struck by a ball, of a resetting bar arranged under and adjacent the rear ends of said levers. vertical guide rods arranged adjacent the ends of said resetting bar, sleeves secured to the ends of said resetting bars that are slidably mounted on said guide bars, a crank shaft, links pivotallj7 connecting said shaft and resetting bar, an electric motor for rotating said shaft, -a switch in circuit with said motor, a trigger bar actuated by said levers when moved from horizontal to inclined positions for closing said switch to start said motor, and an arm on said shaft for opening said switch to stop said motor when the pins have been reset.

15. In a pin resetting apparatus the combination with a ball course having ten pins supported in position to be struck by a ball passing over said course and means to move said pins to an elevated position when struck by a ball, of a resetting bar, a crank shaft pivotally connected to said bar, and an elec- 1?. The combination set forth in claim 15, V

and a shock absorber plate carried by said resetting bar for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK D. TALBERT. 

